DAN BIGGAR is vowing to make the most of stage two of his international career and cope with the pressures of wearing the most famous jersey in Welsh sport.

DAN BIGGAR is vowing to make the most of stage two of his international career and cope with the pressures of wearing the most famous jersey in Welsh sport.

The Ospreys playmaker has been entrusted with the No 10 spot for tomorrow’s Six Nations opener with Ireland at the Millennium Stadium.

It is Biggar’s first game in the Championship and only the second time he has started back-to-back Tests for Wales – the previous occasion coming during the 2009 tour of North America.

The prolific points-scorer gets the nod over people’s favourite James Hook for the big showdown, part of a Wales team that includes debut-making lock Andrew Coombs and the 2009 Lions front-row of Gethin Jenkins, Matthew Rees and Adam Jones.

The line-up also sees Aaron Shingler picked in the back-row, with in-form Justin Tipuric having to make do with a role as a replacement.

But Biggar says he is ready to embrace the challenge ahead as he looks to help Wales end a woeful run of seven defeats on the trot.

“There’s a lot of pressure, it is part of the job title. It’s a difficult position to be in,” said Biggar.

“So I could give you the routine answer of you just get on with it and you don’t pay any attention to it... but of course you do.

“You are aware of the Welsh 10 jersey and the expectation around it. As a player, when your team is playing well, it’s a great position to be in, but when things aren’t going quite as well as you would perhaps have liked, that’s when you come under scrutiny.

“As a 10, especially in Wales, that’s part and parcel of the job. You have to take it as it comes, but you also have to enjoy the high bits as well, when you are playing well and winning.

“I don’t think there is any hiding my international career has been a bit stop-start and I hope to get it going this weekend against a good Irish side.

“The Six Nations tournament is the best in the world, in my opinion, and it’s something I’m really looking forward to.

“I would like to think it’s my best opportunity to put a marker down and go from there.

“It’s the opening match of the campaign and, more importantly, we, as a team, want to get off to a good start.

“Obviously it helps you do that if your nine and 10 are playing quite well.

“If I can do my bit to get us on the front foot then it will be happy days but it’s more important to stress Wales get off to a good start rather than the talk be about this 10 jersey.

“If I don’t have a particularly good game but we win, I will be happy.”

Stand-in coach Howley claimed he had given Biggar and Wales a licence to thrill against an Ireland team that will be frothing at the mouth at the prospect of piling into an injury-blighted opposition pack.

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